McDonald's goes gourmet and high tech

McDonald's is taking a gourmet, high tech approach to burgers as part of a trial to boost its appeal with those who like the finer things in life. Known for its extensive burger menu for less than ten bucks, McDonald’s is now taking the fight to high end competitors with a new ‘Create Your Taste’ Gourmet Menu.

The trial, running in Sydney's Castle Hill branch, offers customers the choice between four kinds of cheeses, brioche buns and toppings including guacamole, grilled mushrooms, applewood bacon and nine different sauces. Hipsters rejoice, the food will be delivered on wooden blocks and fries come in baskets.

The upscale menu is being trialled but a spokesperson from McDonald's told AdNews that the new range will be rolled out to all stores nationally over the next six to nine months.

Customers can ‘build-a-burger’ using a customisable, touch screen in-store, selecting if they are eating in or taking away, paying cash at the counter or by card using the machine itself. The technology allows users to choose their bun, cheese, sauce, meat and toppings.

If eating in, diners choose where they are sitting and a member of staff will deliver the meal to the table.

The customisable gourmet burgers cost a little more than the $5.90 Big Mac, with some of the toppings incurring a small extra cost.

On the marketing for the new menu a McDonald's spokesperson told AdNews, “At this stage we are employing a highly targeted outdoor, digital and social media campaign. This will be extended and further developed as Create Your Taste is rolled out nationally."

The self-service digital kiosks are set to be introduced to all McDonald’s restaurants over the next three years as well as a mobile ordering app, home delivery and McCafe barista made coffee in their drive-thru.

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